349: Michele Sullivan: Looking Up, Turning Obstacles Into Advantages

Michele L. Sullivan is the author of Looking Up, a HarperCollins published book. With a unique and interesting perspective on life and business, Michele is a motivational speaker and strategic business advisor who has changed the course of millions of lives.

Michele was born with a very rare type of dwarfism. In spite of being looked down upon by others, she learned to look up and lead with an elevated view of others. It’s a philosophy that landed her at the helm of one of the world’s most prominent philanthropy organizations. 

During her 30-year career at Caterpillar Inc., Michele held various globally influential leadership positions including director of corporate social innovation and president of the Caterpillar Foundation. 

She was named by Inside Philanthropy as one of the 50 most powerful women in philanthropy and also served as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. She was recognized as an AACSB 2018 Influential Leader (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business). Michele is a member of the ONE board of directors and past chair of the Greater Peoria Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) Advisory Board. 

What We Discuss With In This Episode

• The power of leaning in
• The conversation around political correctness
• The 3 pillars of the Caterpillar Foundation
• Michele’s current involvement at a grassroots level
• Michele’s experience meeting Bono
• Using your platform to lift people up
• Michele’s thoughts on leadership, inclusion, and diversity
• The challenges of being a leader

Episode Show Notes: https://tinyurl.com/yxj7bs7x